Radio’s Generation Gap

Everyone except the broadcasters themselves knows Radio is in trouble over the long term. But what will kill the radio star? For a clue look to Gen Z. In an NYU study reported by Axios “Teens listening to terrestrial radio has fallen about 50% over a 10-year period”, according to Larry Miller, director of NYU Steinhardt’s music business program. “Generation Z, which is projected to account for 40% of all consumers in the U.S. by 2020, shows little interest in traditional media, including radio, having grown up in an on-demand digital environment.”

So by 2020 40% of consumers in the US will be listening to half as much radio as previous generations did. I’d say that’s a problem. To make matters worse, Gen Z is actually consuming more music than ever. But they’re doing it via streaming instead of the FM dial. So radio’s challenge isn’t just to get younger listeners to consume more music – they need to convince Gen Z to come back to radio stations to get the same music they’re already listening to on their streaming service of choice.

Since 2011, Gabe Tartaglia has been a Vice President of Sales for Pandora. Based in Chicago, Gabe manages the sales organization and revenue operations for Pandora’s National Sales Verticals.

Prior to that, Gabe ran Pandora’s 17-state sales region in the central third of the United States. Previously, Gabe spent almost two decades in broadcast radio, including positions as Station Manager and Director of Sales for CBS Radio on the East Coast and in Chicago.

Gabe holds undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Management Information Systems from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

His other professional interests include mentoring and guest instructor work at YearUp Chicago, and publishing his own daily media blog.